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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · board · wave · cell · deal · spell · foot · coach

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. spell — letters
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cell — a phone
  5. foot — a measure
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. board — a committee
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. deal — to handle
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. board — to get on
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com